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Trump’s not welcome here

NO-ONE should shed tears over Donald Trump’s no-show for next month’s official opening of the new US embassy in south London.

For all his macho bravery as a keyboard warrior on Twitter, locked alone in his bedroom with his cheeseburgers, the US president has bottled out of a visit that would have laid bare the contempt people in Britain feel for him.

Not that he would have been in any physical danger, surrounded by his own security agents and the ranks of the Metropolitan Police, but every media chain in the world, especially the US-based networks he has abused as “fake news,” would have ensured global coverage of massed, hostile but peaceful demonstrations.

How could it be otherwise? He has spewed out a constant stream of hateful, racist and ignorant tweets and must expect correction.

Put simply, the US Establishment networks that incurred Trump’s displeasure for backing Wall Street candidate Hillary Clinton would not be able to resist the temptation of pointing out, through sustained reportage, that the US president’s contempt for substantial numbers of people is reciprocated.

The oaf can’t even get his lines right for the pretext justifying his refusal to fly to London.

He offered up Barack Obama’s administration for “having sold perhaps the best located and finest embassy in London for ‘peanuts,’ only to build a new one in an off location for 1.2 billion dollars. Bad deal. Wanted me to cut ribbon-NO!”

Unfortunately, the deal was set in train by Trump’s fellow chickenhawk George W Bush. Both men, fiery advocates of the US war in Vietnam, dodged active service themselves, with Bush joining the National Guard to resist to his dying breath any Vietnamese invasion of Alabama and Trump bringing a sick note from his mum.

Britain’s own right-wing buffoon Boris Johnson has, predictably, taken Trump’s side, warning London Mayor Sadiq Khan against endangering the “special relationship” between the US and Britain.

This is the same Khan that Trump slandered by misrepresenting his comment that Londoners shouldn’t be alarmed by seeing more police on the streets, tweeting: “At least 7 dead and 48 wounded in terror attack and Mayor of London says there is ‘no reason to be alarmed’!”

Even Trump’s supposed close friend Theresa May felt the sting of his tweeted tantrum after she came under pressure to murmur mild disapproval of his unbelievable decision to like and share videos posted by a British far-right racist outfit.

“Theresa @theresamay, don’t focus on me, focus on the destructive Radical Islamic Terrorism that is taking place within the United Kingdom. We are doing just fine!”

What kind of “special relationship” is it when one partner is expected to keep schtum while the other deals out racist, Islamophobic and national chauvinist abuse against an ever-expanding circle of targets?

Even the United Nations has been moved to speak out over the US president’s latest description of African nations and Haiti as “shithole” countries, calling it “shocking and shameful,” and “racist.”

Johnson’s previous record of spouting and defending racist abuse is well documented, as is May’s hostility to refugees and would-be migrants, so their subservience to Trump is not surprising.

Weasel-word attempts to confuse respect for the US presidency as an institution and the current gobshite who disgraces the office should be given short shrift.

His absence from Britain — long may it last — is a victory for human decency, respect and community relations.